The high cost of prescription drugs also leads some people to cut back on their medications in various ways. About one in five adults (21%) say in the past 12 months they have not filled a prescription because of the cost. A similar share (21%) say they have taken an over-the-counter drug instead of getting a prescription filled – rising to about one third of Hispanic adults (32%) and more than one in four adults (27%) with annual household incomes under $40,000. About one in ten adults say that in the past 12 months they have cut pills in half or skipped doses of medicine due to cost. 

Two In Ten Adults Say They Have Not Filled A Prescription Or Taken An Over-The-Counter Drug Instead Due To Cost

Four In Ten Adults Currently Have Debt Due To Medical Or Dental Bills

Percent who say they have each of the following types of debt due to medical or dental bills for themselves or for someone else's care, such as a child, spouse or parent:

unexpected medical bills are near the top of the list of people’s financial worries, with about two-thirds of the public saying they are at least somewhat worried about affording unexpected medical bills for themselves and their family (64%). Similar shares say they worry about affording monthly utilities like electricity (62%) and affording food (61%). About half of adults say they worry about affording their rent or mortgage (51%), and 46% worry about being able to afford prescription drugs for themselves and their family. Adults with health insurance are not immune from worries about affording care, as at least four in ten say they worry about affording their health insurance deductible (48%) and their monthly health insurance premium (40%). 

There is a Better Way